Asian Shrimp Salad

A healthy lunch, and quick and easy to boot!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 Tbs. Adams Reserve Asian spice rub
• roasted red pepper strips (to taste)
• 6-8 oz. baby spinach
  
• 2-3 Tbs. Canyon Foods sweet chile lime sauce

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat until hot.  Add the shrimp and Asian spice rub and cook, turning, for 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked.
2. In a salad bowl combine the spinach and roasted red pepper strips.  Add the cooked shrimp and drizzle with the sweet chile lime sauce.

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How to make Caramel Corn

This is an easy treat and would be great to gift over the holidays.  Based on the recipe from Real Simple, October 2011.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernals
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pop the corn in an air popper or stirring popper
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and lightens in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour over the cooked popcorn and, with a rubber spatula, toss to coat.
4. Spread the popcorn mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until deep amber, 30 to 35 minutes.  If you are using peanuts, add them halfway through baking when you toss. Remove from oven, toss, and let cool on the baking sheet. (The popcorn will crisp as it cools.)

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Three Bean Salad - the Lazy Way

The basics of this recipe are from Simply Recipes.  Her recipe is prettier.  Mine is faster, because I am lazy shrewd like that.

 

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped rosemary

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the beans.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.

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Tortilla Soup - Slow Cooker style

This recipe is originally from my friend Joan, but I've tweaked it a little to make it easier. Super quick to put together, but it does require some planning.

Ingredients
4-5 large chicken breasts - frozen
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
32 ounces chicken broth
4 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
28 oz can enchilada sauce
8 ounce can green chili peppers
2 T chopped garlic
2 t cumin
2 t chili powder
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 bay leaf

Optional Ingredients:
chopped cilantro
shredded cheddar
corn tortillas

Directions
Place frozen chicken in the bottom of your 5.5 - 6 qt. crock pot.  Dump in tomatoes, broth, water, onion, enchilada sauce, green chilis, garlic, cumin, bay leaf and salt and pepper.

Cook on low 8 hours, then shred up the chicken and serve, topped with fresh cilantro and cheese.  Yum.   We usually toast some corn tortillas until they crisp up and serve them with the soup.

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Barbeque sauce

My favorite sauce for chicken sliders.  If your grocery has ground mustard in the bulk section it is probably much cheaper than when bought as a bottled spice.

Ingredients
1/4 c + 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 TBS ground mustard
1 TBS ketchup
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS vegetable oil

Directions
Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a low simmer, whisking occasionally and simmer 3 minutes.  Whisk in oil, remove from heat and let cool.  Store in the refrigerator.

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Chicken Sliders

Recipe # 16.  So easy and even the kids love them!

Ingredients
4-5 pounds chicken thighs in fajita marinade (HEB sells these pre-marinated)
1 beer

Directions
Dump chicken in crock pot and pour beer over the top.  Cook on low 8 hours, then shred.  Top with homemade BBQ sauce and cole slaw on slider buns (or my favorite, Kings Hawaiian sweet rolls).

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Sweet Potato Fries

We eat these a couple of times a week - they are quick, easy, and healthy!

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, cut into fries
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat sweet potato fries with olive oil and then add sea salt and pepper.  Bake for 18-24 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fries, turning after 10 minutes.

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Caprese Salmon

Caprese salmon was one of my dinner swap meals from June.  We had it for lunch today with sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus and it is definitely a keeper!

Ingredients
4 4-6 oz. wild salmon filets
4 Tbs. pesto
8 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tomato

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking dish and layer salmon with pesto, slice of tomato, and Parmesan.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until fish is flaky and cooked through.

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Quick and Easy Baked Beans

These baked beans have a nice flavor that's sweet, but not too sweet.  This recipe serves 5-6, but it's easy to double.  Or quadruple.

Ingredients
1 can ranch style beans with vidalia onion
1 can bush's original style baked beans
4 slices bacon

Directions
Microwave the bacon between paper towels for 3 minutes or until just done.  Cut into 1/2" pieces and mix with both cans of beans in sauce pan.  Heat on medium-low until warmed through.   This is a great side for chipotle beef.

I was going to take a picture, but we were really hungry and ate all the beans before I got a chance.  I'll add one next time!

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Pollo Asado Salad

In this recipe, you can use any roasted or grilled chicken you have on hand.

Ingredients
pollo asado (or any chicken you have - grilled or roasted, with seasonings)
romaine, washed and torn
small can of corn, drained
grape tomatoes
cotija cheese
corn nuts
ranch vinaigrette, or dressing of your choice (today I mixed together balsamic vinaigrette and ranch)

Directions
Spread corn on a baking sheet at bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until warmed and lightly brown.
Layer salad in individual large bowls: romaine, roasted corn, grape tomatoes, crumbled cotija cheese, corn nuts.  Then add dressing.

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Easy Roasted Potatoes Recipe

My daughter made these tonight to go along with our baked pork chops.  Easy and delicious.

Ingredients
4 small red potatoes, cut into 4-6 wedges each
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika (smoked paprika, if you have it)  OR 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and add all ingredients.  Swish the potatoes around in the oil and spices until they are all covered.  Bake 25 minutes, then turn potatoes.  (If you are baking these with the pork chops, now is when to add the pork chops to the oven.)  Bake about 30 more minutes until lightly browned and crispy.

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Easy Baked Pork Chops Recipe

My 9 year old enjoys cooking.  Tonight she made these pork chops with roasted potatoes for dinner.  If only I could convince her she would enjoy cleaning up...

Ingredients
2 large center cut pork chops, 1 inch thick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
any sauce you like

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line glass baking dish with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Add pork chops in a single layer so they are not touching.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake 40 minutes or until done.  My method of checking is when a thermometer inserted in the center of a pork chop reads 145.  Remove from oven and let rest 3 minutes before cutting and serving.  My husband and I enjoy these with a bit of raspberry chipotle sauce heated and poured on top.

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Chipotle Beef Recipe for the Slow Cooker

Recipe #7.  This is the most requested meal from my dinner swap group.  It feeds a crowd - pair with creamy cole slaw on flour tortillas or with cheese on buns.  Serve with quick baked beans and fries.  While it's delicious if you like spicy food you'll probably want to have an alternate dish for kiddos.

This recipe is slightly modified from RecipeZaar.

Ingredients
* 3 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of most visible fat
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons cumin
* 1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo
* 1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
* 1 (7 ounce) can salsa verde
* 1-2 large sweet onions, sliced
* 3 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 cup beef broth

Directions
1. Place chuck roast in large crock pot and sprinkle with the salt and pepper, chili powder and cumin.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Shred the meat with a fork, discarding fat.

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Stuffed Eight-ball Squash

Recipe #5.  We picked peaches and blackberries at an orchard on Friday and while we were there I picked up a few vegetables.  The eight ball squash was new to me and the farmer told me it would be great grilled or stuffed.  I decided to stuff, bacon style.

Ingredients:
2 eight ball squash
3 strips bacon
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup Italian herb panko
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy over medium heat.  Remove and crumble, reserving 1 Tbs. bacon grease.  Add green pepper and onion and cook until onion is translucent.  While pepper and onion are cooking, trim stems of squash and cut in half.  Scoop out squash pulp and add to green pepper and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.

While veggies are cooking, parboil squash shells for 2-3 minutes then drain.

To the vegetables, add crumbled bacon, panko, parmesan, and chopped parsley.  Stuff shells with mixture and bake 15 minutes.

We all enjoyed this and I'll definitely make it again.  Next time I might add an extra squash to overfill the shells and add more veggie goodness.

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Spinach Salad with Bacon, Boiled Eggs, and Blue Cheese

Recipe #4.  Okay, so this is not so much a recipe... you could just throw some stuff together with spinach and call it done.  But this version is yummy and we all enjoy it, so I wanted to post it here so I'll remember to make it again.  Next time with mushrooms!  Tonight we had it as a side with baked salmon and roasted carrots, but it could easily be served as a larger portion for a main dish.

Ingredients
baby spinach
boiled egg
cooked bacon, crumbled
blue cheese (on the side for picky kids)
sliced fresh mushrooms, if you have them
spinach salad dressing (I like Marzetti's), heated in microwave for 1 minute

Directions
Yeah... mix it all up and enjoy!

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Roasted Asparagus

Recipe #3.  Delicious and simple side dish.  We ate this tonight with our Sprout's sundried tomato meatloaf and saffron risotto (from a box).  And, yes, I had seconds of everything.

Ingredients
asparagus, washed and dried
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Break ends off asparagus and discard.  Place asparagus on baking sheet and drizzle with a couple of Tbs olive oil.  Add a couple of shakes balsamic vinegar and swish it all together, ending with the asparagus in a single layer.  Add salt and pepper and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus.

Variation
When we have this side with Asian dishes, I use sesame oil rather than the olive/balsamic combo.  Then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds after baking.

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White Mac & Cheese with Green Peas

Recipe #2.  Maybe I'm cheating a little by including this since it's basically just cooking a box of mac and cheese and adding a small can of green peas.  But it's delicious.  And fast.

Ingredients
Box of White Mac & Cheese (my favorite is Annie's)
tiny can of green peas, rinsed and drained

Directions
Cook mac & cheese according to package directions.  Stir in peas.  Make yummy noises while you eat..

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Pesto Pizza for dinner

Recipe #1.  This recipe only requires a few ingredients and it's ready in 10 minutes.  Yes, 10 minutes, people!  And everybody loves it.

Ingredients
1 pizza crust. No, not from scratch in the 10 minutes.  I usually use Mama Mary's - inexpensive and yummy.
1/4 cup pesto (Any kind of basil pesto you like.  My favorite is Alessi Pesto.)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, lowfat.
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 roma or compari tomato
3 large fresh basil leaves
fresh ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 (or whatever your pizza crust package says).
Spread pesto on crust, sprinkle with shredded cheese, then add dollups of ricotta.
Reduce heat to 425 and bake pizza for 7 minutes.
While pizza bakes, slice tomatoes and basil.
When your pizza is golden brown and bubbly, remove from the oven and add tomatoes, basil, and pepper.

Mine looked like this.  I thought it was really pretty, especially since it only took 10 minutes!

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